System-level optimization of the DC-DC voltage regulator and core for sub/near-threshold voltage operation

Switched capacitor voltage regulator module;Sub/near-threshold operation;Optimization;Low power design

Zhang, Sai ; Shanbhag ; Naresh R.

关键词: Switched capacitor voltage regulator module;    Sub/near-threshold operation;    Optimization;    Low power design;   

Others  :  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/42360/Sai_Zhang.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Switched capacitor voltage regulator module (SC-VRM) is suitable for low power embedded systems operating in near/sub-threshold region due to its high conversion ratio and compactness. However, existing optimization for SC-VRM is separated from the embedded core design and therefore leads to sub-optimal system energy efficiency. In this thesis, we propose to jointly optimize the switched capacitor voltage regulator module (SC-VRM) and the compute core to minimize system energy per instruction. A core-aware SC-VRM energy model is developed and employed to solve the joint optimization problem. We also propose and optimize a reconfigurable SC-VRM architecture. Simulation results in a 130nm CMOS process indicate that the core-aware SC-VRM model predicts energy from circuit simulations to within 5%, and that the proposed approach results in a maximum system energy savings of 8% to 38.9%. The reconfigurable SC-VRM achieves 15% to 52% energy saving as compared to an efficiency-optimized design.